IngenuityFest Moves to Veterans Memorial Bridge in September of 2010

CLEVELAND, Ohio (November 18, 2009) – Cleveland’s cutting edge festival of arts, music, and technology will be held in 2010 from September 24th to 26th. This new time for the festival, traditionally held in the summer, will coincide with a new location: the lower level of Veterans Memorial (Detroit-Superior) Bridge, which carries Ohio Routes 6 and 20 over the Cuyahoga River. More information on the festival can be found at www.ingenuitycleveland.com.

This move follows the successful 2009 Bridge Project, a pilot version of the bridge-based festival co-presented last September by IngenuityFest, Kent State University Urban Collaborative, Flats Oxbow and All Go Signs. The strong, positive response to this pilot convinced IngenuityFest’s leadership that a full-scale event in the lower level of the bridge and the subway tunnels on either side would attract a wider audience, provide a sheltered space from the weather, and open a new venue in the city for future development.

“People who came down for the bridge project were exhilarated by this completely unique space above the river,” said Paula Grooms, the festival’s newly appointed executive director. “Bringing the entire festival in September allows us to build on our past success and gives audiences and artists a chance to explore a new space in the city.”

Since its launch in 2005, festival leaders have made a point of presenting the annual event in different parts of downtown Cleveland. As it did in years past with the Lower Euclid, Lower Prospect and Playhouse Square neighborhoods, IngenuityFest will fill the bridge venue’s shadowy niches, and cavernous tunnel spaces, with exciting high-tech artistic activity, and introduce visitors to a breathtaking open-air colonnade revealing must-see views of Cleveland’s spires and the river below.

“The bridge really redefines Ingenuity as a festival not just unique in Cleveland, but in the world: there is no other event that brings together art, music, technology, business, and urban landscapes quite like this,” said Founder/Artistic Director James Levin. “We want people to come down in September, explore this space, have fun with family and friends and discover something new about the city.”

The September 2010 dates represent another alteration for IngenuityFest, which has taken place in July for several years. Said Grooms, “We’re changing the festival to a fall event to attract students and to encourage participation by colleges and universities in the region through special curriculum programs and internships.”

IngenuityFest, the Cleveland Festival of Art and Technology, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to annual presentations of Northeast Ohio’s and the world’s most creative and innovative work and to fostering new, imaginative collaborations between the region’s arts and technology sectors.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio (November 18, 2009) – Cleveland’s cutting edge festival of arts, music, and technology will be held in 2010 from September 24th to 26th. This new time for the festival, traditionally held in the summer, will coincide with a new location: the lower level of Veterans Memorial (Detroit-Superior) Bridge, which carries Ohio Routes 6 and 20 over the Cuyahoga River. More information on the festival can be found at www.ingenuitycleveland.com.

This move follows the successful 2009 Bridge Project, a pilot version of the bridge-based festival co-presented last September by IngenuityFest, Kent State University Urban Collaborative, Flats Oxbow and All Go Signs. The strong, positive response to this pilot convinced IngenuityFest’s leadership that a full-scale event in the lower level of the bridge and the subway tunnels on either side would attract a wider audience, provide a sheltered space from the weather, and open a new venue in the city for future development.

“People who came down for the bridge project were exhilarated by this completely unique space above the river,” said Paula Grooms, the festival’s newly appointed executive director. “Bringing the entire festival in September allows us to build on our past success and gives audiences and artists a chance to explore a new space in the city.”

Since its launch in 2005, festival leaders have made a point of presenting the annual event in different parts of downtown Cleveland. As it did in years past with the Lower Euclid, Lower Prospect and Playhouse Square neighborhoods, IngenuityFest will fill the bridge venue’s shadowy niches, and cavernous tunnel spaces, with exciting high-tech artistic activity, and introduce visitors to a breathtaking open-air colonnade revealing must-see views of Cleveland’s spires and the river below.

“The bridge really redefines Ingenuity as a festival not just unique in Cleveland, but in the world: there is no other event that brings together art, music, technology, business, and urban landscapes quite like this,” said Founder/Artistic Director James Levin. “We want people to come down in September, explore this space, have fun with family and friends and discover something new about the city.”

The September 2010 dates represent another alteration for IngenuityFest, which has taken place in July for several years. Said Grooms, “We’re changing the festival to a fall event to attract students and to encourage participation by colleges and universities in the region through special curriculum programs and internships.”

IngenuityFest, the Cleveland Festival of Art and Technology, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to annual presentations of Northeast Ohio’s and the world’s most creative and innovative work and to fostering new, imaginative collaborations between the region’s arts and technology sectors.

3 Replies to “IngenuityFest Moves to Veterans Memorial Bridge in September of 2010”

I just wanted to let you know that i think you have developed something that is truly worthy of travel from other places in the country and the world. This holiday season, I made sure to invite my friends and relatives from afar to come to Cleveland for this event.
I feel comfortable bringing someone in from Chicago, or New York, or really anywhere to come see this event. It is powerful and unique in one breath, and intellectually accessible to all manner of people.
I will be there this coming year and I will bring friends, I’m sure I’m not the only one. Lets book up all the hotels in the area for this one of a kind experience.
Best Regards, Peet McCain

I’m sure you’ve already thought about this, but regarding the use of the bridge as a festival venue, I worry about losing some economic impact and easy connection with surrounding neighborhoods. Yes, the bridge is a very cool space that begs for some ongoing use, but I think the fest should delight casual passersby as well as artists and visionaries. Last year, part of the fun I had at IngenuityFest was poking around Playhouse Square, visiting seldom-seen buildings, and having easy access to surrounding businesses. This easy access would be limited on the bridge. It’s something to consider since we are reading about the analysis of the fest’s economic impact. (Maybe someone could set up some ropes for people to rappel down to Settler’s Landing! Sadly, I’m not in a position to arrange this.) Anyway, I hope to attend this year. Thanks for making it happen, folks.